"Could Joe Joyce beat Oleksandr Usyk? Yes. He fancies it and I fancy it," promoter Frank Warren believes the unbeaten British contender is capable of defeating the new unified world heavyweight champion
Monday 18 October 2021 12:07, UK
Tyson Fury's tip as the looming threat in the heavyweight division is Joe Joyce, says promoter Frank Warren.
Undefeated Joyce is the mandatory challenger for the WBO belt that Oleksandr Usyk took from Anthony Joshua in a masterful points victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last month.
But Usyk and Joshua's rematch for the IBF, WBA and WBO belts, expected in spring 2022, means Joyce will be made to wait for his guaranteed opportunity at a world title.
"I was talking to Tyson about him," Warren told Sky Sports.
"Tyson said that he's the best one out there. That's what Tyson's opinion was.
"Can he go all the way? Yes he can.
"He's got a good ticker, a big heart. He's strong, he walks forwards, he is the 'Juggernaut'.
"Whoever he's in there with, you know they will have a problem getting rid of him.
"He's a tough guy. He can fight a bit. He can punch."
Joyce brutally stopped Daniel Dubois in a battle of then-unbeaten British contenders last year.
He has since stopped Carlos Takam.
Joyce was previously in talks to fight Usyk at the same time as Fury and Joshua were negotiating their doomed undisputed title fight.
Usyk defeated Joyce on points in an amateur fight in 2013, but Warren insists a future collision under a professional rule-set would be different.
"Him and Usyk would be a great fight," Warren said. "He could hurt Usyk, he's a big man.
"Could he beat Usyk? Yes. He fancies it and I fancy it.
"He isn't going to back off Usyk. He'd let his shots go.
"It won't be the little man out-jabbing the big man - that will not be happening."
Usyk's rematch with Joshua next year means Joyce is likely to re-enter the ring and risk his status as a future challenger.
"We're waiting to hear back from the WBO because some of the governing bodies will be making decisions about their mandatory challengers for Usyk, and when they are going to be," Warren said.
"What we don't want to do is to compromise his position.
"Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we can make a decision."
Joyce lost the 2016 Olympic super-heavyweight final to Tony Yoka but that bout is one of 11 cited in an independent investigation that found officials manipulated results.
Joyce took home silver but, five years on, his fight is being investigated.
"It's outrageous," Warren said.
"The sport may be banned from the next Olympics as a result of this.
"It's wrong. These guys shouldn't be waiting five or six years until they get their medals."
October 24 - Top Rank in Atlanta
Jamel Herring vs Shakur Stevenson - WBO super-featherweight title
October 31 - Top Rank in New York
Jose Zepeda vs Josue Vargas
November 6 - Top Rank in Las Vegas
Mikaela Mayer vs Maiva Hamadouche - IBF and WBO super-featherweight titles
November 6 - BOXXER in Liverpool
November 20 - BOXXER in London
Richard Riakporhe vs Olanrewaju Durodola
Caroline Dubois professional debut
November 20 - Top Rank in Las Vegas
Terence Crawford vs Shawn Porter - WBO welterweight title
December 11 - BOXXER in Birmingham
Savannah Marshall
Claressa Shields
December 11 - Top Rank in Las Vegas
Vasiliy Lomachenko vs Richard Commey
December 17 - Top Rank in Montreal
Artur Beterbiev vs Marcus Browne - IBF and WBC light-heavyweight titles
December 18 - Top Rank in Glasgow
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall - undisputed super-lightweight title
